The Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy says children were more likely to be taken off their families and put in State care if they were Maori.

Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

Dame Susan, who is campaigning for an inquiry into the abuse of children and vulnerable adults in State care, told Morning Report the people who have come forward were "more likely to be in state care if they were Maori children and from poorer families."

She says "In my role it's really important that we address institutional racism in all parts of our society. This is a really good place to start - to understand why these things happen and to make sure that they don't continue to repeat themselves"